The Fasting 5K: No Food, No Water, No Problem For Muslim Runners
With the sun lingering on the horizon and the Capitol in the
distance, runner after runner completed a 3-mile loop around the
National Mall and was met with cheers and high-fives. Standing in two
parallel lines with hands outstretched, the crowd of mostly
20-somethings formed a celebratory human bridge for their fellow runners
to pass under as they crossed the finish line.
In five cities
across America on Saturday — D.C., Boston, New York, Houston and
Huntington Beach in Southern California — runners wearing bright red
t-shirts with the words "Fasting 5K" raced to the finish line at sunset.
Tired and thirsty, they were still full of energy.
"The best
part about it is just running with everyone," says Nasif Ahmed, 23, a
recent graduate of the University of Maryland. "You know you've got some
partners along with you, and towards the end it's just really
gratifying."
But unlike most races, there was no carbo-loading
or chugging water before this 5K: All of the runners were fasting for
Ramadan. During this holy month, observant Muslims refrain from eating
or drinking from sunrise to sunset.
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